Swapped Fates
by CFVY
Summary: The tides of time and fate have changed, and the Arcana have been jumbled. Rise Kujikawa has just moved to Inaba in order to start a new life, living with her uncle Dojima and young cousin Nanako. All she wants is a normal life now, but fate seems to have a different plan for her. (Arcana Swap AU, all characters Arcana Swapped. Protagonist!Rise)
1. Chapter 1

The steady sound of raindrops beating against the train's windows was the only thing keeping her tethered to reality. The train was enveloped in quietness. The landscapes outside rushed by in a blur of color and motion. She couldn't look outside for too long without getting a headache. Rise moved her gaze back to her lap. If she listened hard enough, she could pick up hushed conversations here and there. A couple was quarreling over what color to paint their new house, a group of teenagers was complaining about the upcoming school year and how boring it would be... Thankfully, said conversations weren't too loud. She doubted that her sleepless mind could take any type of loud noise. The last couple of weeks had drained her of all her pep. With a small sigh, Rise rested her head back onto the seat behind her, allowing herself to close her eyes for just a moment.

 _The loud sound of shuffling, a small scream._

Her eyes snapped open, a wave of dizziness overtaking her overworked brain. The bright, florescent lights above her overwhelmed her, causing her eyes to close again. Steadily, Rise regained her bearings, listening to her own deep breathing. She shook her head, clearing her thoughts. The train seemed to be slowing to a stop, and a muffled voice rang over the intercom. The words weren't crystal clear, but she caught the gist of it. They had finally arrived in Inaba. She had never been there before, but her uncle and cousin lived there. Would they be nice to her? Would they open her with welcome arms?

Or would she just be a burden? She let out a deep sigh, before a small, weak smile overtook her features. _Nothing ventured, nothing gained._ Slowly, she stood up from her seat, wincing as she stretched out her stiff arms and legs.

It was a new beginning for her. The passing of her parents had indeed devastated her. Their sudden passing had traumatized her. For days, she wept and wallowed. She missed them terribly… Just thinking about it caused her entire body to weaken, and she needed to resist the urge to close her eyes and descend into slumber. But she had to look towards the future. She couldn't give up now! Rise managed to put the distressing thoughts aside. This would be a new story for her. She grabbed her heavy bags, lugging them out onto the train platform with her. Fortunately, the suitcases had wheels on the bottom, otherwise, she would have had no hope of taking all of her belongings with her on this move. As she hurried through the small crowd, she spotted a bright, blue glow out of the corner of her eye.

She glanced towards it. It was gone.

* * *

Meeting her uncle and cousin had been easy. Although Nanako was shy, she seemed to be kind enough. Her uncle Dojima was friendly as well. Rise believed that with some time, she could become very comfortable in the Dojima household. It was fortunate, that her relatives were so pleasant. She had seldom interacted with either. Even during family gatherings, they weren't usually present. It was due to Dojima's occupation. He was kept busy by police work. From what Rise knew, he had lost his wife years ago. Now, he was probably even busier, trying to support his daughter. Maybe she could grow to relate to him even more.

They had stopped at the gas station. As Nanako exited the small car, Rise followed, diligently watching her cousin. The small, brunette girl was apparently headed to the bathroom.

"Do you need me to come with you, Nanako?" Rise questioned, voice soothing and genuine. She disliked the idea of leaving her young cousin alone. The city wasn't exactly the safest place for kids to be wandering around without supervision. But she had a feeling that it was more relaxed in Inaba. Nanako peered up at her with a soft gaze, nodding quickly, before turning right around and heading off towards the side of the station. Rise opened her mouth to call out to her cousin, but was cut off as a voice came from behind her.

"Hey! You new around here?" Upon turning around, Rise realized that it was a gas station attendant who was speaking to her. The grey-haired individual was dressed in a bright red and yellow uniform. _Geez, could they pick an uglier color scheme?_ At first, it was peculiar. But Rise then realized that Inaba was much smaller than the city where she had lived for most of her life. A gas station attendant would likely know most of the customers that came through, right? Regardless, she wished that the world would just leave her alone for a couple of minutes.

"Yep!" Rise nodded, forcing herself to give the attendant a wide smile. Even if she was feeling sick, she couldn't take it out on someone else. "I just got here!" The grey-haired attendant nodded, matching Rise's smile with one of their own.

"I think you'll like it here." The attendant nodded. "Although it's a pretty small town. When you're not at school, you'll probably be doing part time jobs or hanging out with friends. Hate to say it, not much goes on here. But that just means it's also pretty calm." _Makes sense._ Rise hadn't of expected anything huge from Inaba. The town seemed pretty quiet. But maybe that was just what she needed. The hustle and bustle of the city hadn't of been good for her after the incident. A change of pace was very much welcomed. "Anyways, good luck."

The attendant reached out a calloused hand. Maybe it was odd to do a handshake without a formal introduction. But Rise was too tired to really care. She shook the attendant's hand, bidding them farewell. However, as soon as they disappeared around the corner, a wave of dizziness overtook her. She resisted the urge to give an agitated sigh. _Really? Now of all times?_ She had just gotten here! The last thing she wanted was to be sick while she was getting accustomed to her new life.

"Are you alright?" Nanako's voice snapped her back to reality. Rise put on another smile, turning to Nanako.

"Yeah, I am." She told her cousin gently, although the small girl didn't seem too convinced. "Did you find the bathrooms?"

"Are you sure?" Nanako breezed right past Rise's question. For someone so young, she already seemed quite perceptive. Rise was an only child. She had never really needed to deal with younger kids. Did Nanako count as a younger sibling, now? Maybe it was too early to think about that.

"Alright, you two, I'm back." Rise suppressed a sigh of relief as Dojima emerged from the station, keys to the car in his hand. "Are you alright?" He questioned her, and her entire demeanor almost deflated. "You look kind of pale. We should get back to the house." At least they were concerned for her. These were the kind of people she wanted to stay with. Maybe she could be a part of their family, eventually.

There was little she could say to that, after getting back into the car, they were on their way to the Dojima household. Jumbled thoughts swam around Rise's exhausted mind. No matter how hard she tried to suppress them, they just came back. Would she truly fit in here? Would she be able to make friends? Only time could tell.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:**

 **Thank you to all those who have reviewed! Your support means a lot to me! I'll answer the reviews I got!**

EternalCombOver: Infinite possibilities, like the number 0! Thanks for reviewing!

Tjfanfics99: Thanks! Glad you like it!

Dash Master 48: Yu has actually not been decided yet! But, a good thing to remember would be that while the Arcana are swapped, every character will have relatively new problems. If Yu is the Emperor, it's unlikely that he'll be in the bathhouse, same with every other character! Each character will retain a good amount of their original personality, mixed with traits that correspond to their Arcana! And I will be using Arcana that the main party didn't originally have! Although... Yu in the bathhouse does sound pretty great. Thanks so much for reviewing!

roughstar333: Revealing all of Rise's past occupation will be a little bit of a spoiler, but I'll just say that she wasn't an idol, but a model instead! Thanks so much for your feedback!

* * *

 _A distant voice, a veil of mist all around her._

Rise's senses blurred as she opened her eyes. All around her, fog swirled, muddling her thoughts and causing her to stumble as she moved forward. _Where was she?_ For some reason, her memories evaded her. _Who was she? Where had she been?_ She only knew that there was solid ground underneath her. She was unsure of everything else. The mist enveloping her form was too thick to see ahead. She knew that couldn't remain here, though. Staying in one place wouldn't get her anywhere. **She had to move forward.** Sucking in a deep breath, she regained her bearings, beginning to walk in a random direction. Instantly, the fog lessened, allowing her to see ahead, even if only slightly. With her sight majorly hindered, she could only depend on her instinct and her willpower.

 ** _The key is progression._**

The floor beneath her was made of red and black tiles, she noted as she glanced downwards. The path ahead was growing thinner and thinner. The edges of the walkway dropped downwards, into thick mist. How far would the drop be? Where was the ground? _Was there any ground at all?_ Rise didn't want to find out. For the most part, the journey was quick and easy. With no obstacles in her way, she was able to progress without hindrance. A part of her grew impatient. The further ahead she went, the more the mist thinned. Eventually... she came to a tall, red door with a black handle. Taking in a deep breath, she reached for the handle, expecting to feel the cool metal on her hand.

However, the door swung open on its own. Ahead, there was only emptiness. **With nowhere else to go but backwards, she tread forth.** However, the fog grew much thicker once more as she entered, obscuring most of her vision. Any pathway there might have been, was unable to be seen. This time, though, she felt a deep surge within her. It was unlike any other sensation she had ever felt. Adrenaline seemed to travel through her veins, igniting her spirit. Electricity crackled in the air around her. Her eyes went wide, pupils dilating.

A figure appeared up ahead, but the deep fog made them impossible to see. They were tall, and imposing. But those were the only observations she could make. Had another person been here the entire time? Was this her destination?

Suddenly, her mind throbbed, her vision washing over with the color blue. The power she had felt racing through her increased tenfold, causing her fingers to curl and her breathing to quicken. Slowly, the figure up ahead began to speak. Their sluggish words rang and echoed through the area.

 _"What you desire... is it hidden in the fog?"_

It awakened something deep within her. Her subconscious reached out. But what it was grasping so desperately for, she didn't know. There was a flash of blinding blue, and the world around her went dark, sending her spinning into the realm of unconsciousness once more.

* * *

Morning had arrived too quickly, in her own opinion. Rise had always been fond of sleeping in late, nestled underneath the warm covers. But alas, it was not to be. This was going to be her first day at her new school. A part of her just wanted to hide from the future. Would people even like her at her new school? While a part of her said _of course they will! Who wouldn't like me?_ Another part of her wished to stay hidden from the world. Maybe it was the drowsiness talking, though. Rise stumbled downstairs after throwing on her new school's uniform, struggling to keep her eyes open. Apparently, her uncle Dojima wasn't around at all. Instead, she spotted Nanako at the table. There were two plates with scrambled eggs and toast on them.

Rise felt envious. Half the time, she burnt her own toast! But that only made Nanako more accomplished, she guessed. With an exhausted sigh, she plopped down near her cousin. Quickly, she slapped a smile on her face, greeting Nanako.

"Good morning, Nanako." She yawned, stretching her arms above her head. "Your dad's not around, right? Well, I'll be happy to keep you company!" Rise hummed, although tiredness was evident in her voice. Nanako eyed her inquisitively for a moment, before giving a small smile.

"You look tired." The young girl observed. "Do you need coffee?" Rise's eyes opened again, surprise clear on her features.

"You can make coffee!?" She questioned, only to gape as Nanako nodded. "Is there anything you can't do?" She inquired, voice utterly impressed. Nanako seemed to grow shy under the compliments, although the grin was still evident on her face. After eyeing the food for a short moment, Rise dug in, just remembering how starving she was. "I mean-I can't even make toast right half the time!" She stated in between bites of food. Although, she was careful to not speak while chewing. "That's crazy, Nanako. You're like... a prodigy."

"Thanks..." Nanako's voice was timid, but there was pride on her expression. Rise realized that maybe Nanako didn't get complimented that often. With Dojima being so busy with his job, maybe Nanako was left alone really often. The though both disturbed and disappointed her, even though she knew that Dojima was doing his best to support his daughter, and now herself, too. "We should probably get going, soon." Nanako observed, stealing a glance at the clock. Immediately, Rise nodded, finishing her food. "Wow! You ate so fast..."

"It was delicious!" Rise exclaimed, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly. She then reached across the table, taking Nanako's cleared plate. "I'll wash these off quick, and then we can get going!" With that, she stood up and hurried towards the sink, turning the water on and getting the dish soap. "Maybe you could teach me a little about cooking when you're not busy, Nanako?" She questioned as she rubbed the soaped dishes with a sponge, diligently making sure that there wasn't a spot on them.

"Sure!" The young girl's voice sounded eager, and a smile bloomed across Rise's face.

"Great!" She nodded as she cleaned off the second dish. She heard the floorboards creak slightly as Nanako stood. "You got everything you need for school?" She inquired. Even though Nanako seemed pretty self-sufficient, Rise wanted to make sure that her cousin was perfectly ready for school.

"Yep!" With that, Rise finished the dishes, carefully placing them in the rack close to the sink to dry. Taking in a deep breath, she gathered her courage. After a brief pause, she ventured over to the nearby kitchen table, picking up her back, before turning to Nanako with a smile.

"Ready to go?" She questioned, and her cousin nodded, expression cheerful. She had to admire Nanako's spirit. In fact, she was just a bit envious. And nervous, as well.

As they left the house, she narrowed her eyes against the bright sunlight, taking in the sight of the rustic houses around her. What would school life be like for her? What if she didn't get along with the others? She had been decently popular in her old school. But she was miles and miles away from there, now.

Well, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

* * *

The halls of Yasogami seemed to be bustling with activity, Rise observed as she walked in. Students were rushing all around. Some where talking to friends, others were hurrying to their classes. But many of them... seemed to be staring at her. It was kind of a small school. Which made sense, since it was a small town. So most of the student body would know each other, right? Rise clutched her bag and walked through the halls simply searching for her class.

"Hey!" She was not prepared for someone to speak up from right next to her. _When had someone come up to her?_ She whirled around immediately, only to see that a student with bright, blond hair and blue eyes was speaking to her. _A... foreign student?_ He certainly looked the part, with pale skin and bright, blue eyes. "You look lost!" He seemed to speak in perfect Japanese. Brushing the thoughts off, she mustered a smile and nodded. "Well, pretty lady, you've come to the right guy! My name is Takahiro Akimoto, but all the fine ladies call me _Teddy_." He drawled.

"It's... nice to meet you, Teddie. I'm seta Rise." _How did someone have so much energy in the morning?_ "I am kind of lost. I'm looking for Classroom 2-1. Can you maybe help me?" At her inquiry, his deep blue eyes gleamed with excitement.

"We're in the same class! Rise-chan, it's fate! The classroom is this way! I'll show you!" With that, he rushed off, leaving Rise to hurry behind him. Never had she expected her first experience here to go like _this._ She clambered up stairs, and down hallways after him, bumping into students and faculty members alike. Finally, they reached one of the sliding doors, with a sign saying _2-1_ over it. "This is it!" Much to Rise's surprise and dismay, he didn't seem out of breath at all.

"Thanks... Teddie..." She panted, regaining her bearings, before following Teddie inside. The class seemed pretty full already, although many of the students were just standing around and chattering. Rise settled for trailing after Teddie, taking a seat in the middle isle, behind him. Immediately, he turned to her, eyes gleaming again. But before he could speak, another voice chipped up from next her her.

"Already gunning for the transfer student already?" It was a masculine voice with a snide edge to it. Rise turned around to look at her seatmate. He was a moderately tall young man, with somewhat messy, tawny-colored hair. A pair of black headphones hung around his neck. He regarded her in a languid manner, a small smile etched onto his features. "You sure seem desperate."

"Says the one who follows Saki-chan around like a little puppy!" Teddie sang, not seeming offended in the slightest. "Rise-chan, this sour young lad is Yosuke." He shot back at the boy without hesitation. Rise suddenly regretted every life choice she had ever made. Yosuke's face quickly turned into an apparent frown, his relaxed demeanor lost.

"At least I stick to one girl!" Rise cringed at Yosuke's insult, resisting the urge to rub her temples.

"At least I have more than one girl who wants to be near me!" Teddie exclaimed, looking exasperated at his classmate's attitude. It seemed that the two of tem didn't get along in the slightest. Rise had to resist the temptation to get up and change her seat. Being trapped in the middle of their quarrel was agonizing. However, her attention was grabbed as another individual sat down, right next to Teddie.

"Stop it, you two." A calm, crystal clear voice spoke, and Rise's nerves were somewhat soothed. At least someone was going to try and get them to stop. A young, blue-haired boy was sitting next to Yosuke, eyeing both him and Teddie in a disappointed manner. "You're distressing her." He told them, motioning to Rise. She flustered lightly as Yosuke gave a small sigh.

"Sorry..." He apologized, catching her by surprise once more. "I got a little too into it. Sorry if I made you uncomfortable." Satisfied with Yosuke's words, the blue-haired boy turned to Teddy, looking at him with a critical gaze.

"Yeah. Sorry..." Teddie pouted, but apologized anyways. Immediately, relief flooded over Rise's nerves.

"It's fine, the two of you." She said, but tiredness weighed her voice down again. She turned to the slender young man who had stopped the argument, giving him a smile. "Thanks for that. What's your name?"

"Shirogane Naoto. Pleased to make your acquaintance." He spoke with dignity, and used large, complicated words. He seemed to be the intellectual and cool-headed type. Which was a blessing, considering who she was seated with. "Class should be starting soon. If I'm correct, our teacher will be Mr. Morooka." Yosuke grumbled at those words.

"Great. We get King Moron as our teacher." He seemed immensely dissatisfied about that. Rise merely leaned back. If she almost couldn't make it through that conversation, how could she make it through the year?

* * *

 **A/N:**

Try and guess what Arcana everyone is!

And, another thing, Rise is _not_ the Fool Arcana! But she is capable of using multiple Personae.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:**

So happy to see all of the reviews! Thank you all so much. Feedback means so much to writers, and really encourages them. Even really small reviews pushes us that extra mile, and it makes us feel appreciates. I want to thank you all for taking time to read my story, review it, favorite it, follow it, etc!

 **Reapergenesis32:** You reviewed really fast! And I'm surprised that you guessed the Arcana for every party member, even those who haven't appeared yet. I don't want to say _too much,_ but you got one guess spot-on! Of course, I'm not going to say which one.

 **Nightly7:** It's actually really interesting that you mention P3! Ya'll might be seeing some P3 characters in later chapters. I have to say, a lot of this story isn't completely planned out, but do expect to see some of the P3 cast... especially those who you did not see in Persona 4 Arena!

 **EternalCombOver:** You certainly _combed over_ the last chapter pretty well! You caught some errors that I made, and you pointed them out to me in a really helpful way! I fixed 'em all! Thanks so much for helping me out!

 **Dash master 48:** Hit me with as many questions as you want! I love them! But as for making a P3 version? I'd have to say _probably?_ I think for me, P3's plot and characterization is going to be a little harder to work with. But if this story goes well, count on it!

 **Tjfanfics99:** Who'll be donning the suit, you say? Well, not who you'd expect? Additionally, the... _suit-donner,_ will _not_ be the Star Arcana. But there _will_ be a (hopefully) cute mascot! And as for your guesses, you got _one_ right!

 **roughstar333:** I'm glad you liked the addition of Teddie and Naoto! In this story, there's going to be a lot more interaction between characters that didn't get to interact with each other in the original. Expect more relationship building-wise.

 **Metisi:** It's pretty early to see who is who! But I have so much fun reading guesses, that it doesn't matter to me if they're wrong or right, because they're all so interesting for me to read!

* * *

Death walks among them.

It was late afternoon and fog had settled into the area. He was hunched in the shadows, hangs trembling as he fumbled with a cigarette lighter. It was a quick fix for a desperate, needy addiction. _I can't let anyone see me like this._ He knew that he had little to no friends. But if anyone saw him smoking, the chance of actually getting friends would diminish. It was the same habit that killed his father. What if his mother saw him? She didn't know. And she couldn't. What if she gets disappointed in him? What if she abandons him?

He leaned against the damp, brick wall. Smoke puffed from the lit cigarette, and his eyes closed. _He could fall asleep like this._ But no matter how much he _wants_ to, he really can't. He has too many things to worry about. Too many.

A scream rang through the area. It echoed off the walls. Instantly, his heart rate flew through the roof. Hands turning clammy, he stumbled to lean against the wall, eyes wide, searching for the source of the horrible noise. His senses muddled, and he began to grow dizzy. Soon, light footsteps could be heard from down the street, forcing him back to reality. His wide eyes watched as the shape of a young woman raced towards him. In a panicked move, he ducked behind the wall, breathing labored.

She ran past him, oblivious to his existence. He watched her flee into the deep fog.

He wanted to be relieved. He really did. But what was out there? A murderer? A rabid dog? But only silence answered him. _He should get out of here. He should leave._ But he couldn't. Morbid fascination forced him to wait around, to endanger himself. His eyes moved towards the sky.

 _Then he sees it, dangling from a telephone antenna._

He should be scared.

But he can't help but smile.

* * *

 _"Attention, there's been an emergency. All students are to remain inside of their classrooms until told otherwise."_

Rise dragged her gaze upwards towards the speaker, perched above the chalkboard. Today had been... exhausting, to say the least. However, after the brief spat between Teddie and Yosuke, everything had really smoothed out. From a few, abet lengthy conversations, she had learned quite a bit about her new seatmates. Teddie, although at times perverted and flirtatious, could be quite easygoing and kind. His lackadaisical attitude seemed to easily spread, causing others around him to become mellow, as well.

Yosuke Hanamura was arrogant and admittedly carefree, as well as prone to making innuendos and using rougher language. However, his pride was routinely stomped on by classmates, who would jibe at him over his attitude and... lack of muscles. Most of this information had come directly from Naoto, who hadn't waited a moment to tell her all of Yosuke's weaknesses.

Naoto, however, remained the biggest mystery to Rise. The only major trait that Rise had managed to pick up... was that Naoto had the attitude of a leader. Her classmates seemed to respect him.

"I guess we're stuck here, with nothing to do." Yosuke grumbled, before a sly grin spread onto his features. "I can think of a few _entertaining_ things to get up to while we're stuck in here, if you catch my drift, Rise-chan." Rise resisted the urge to shiver in disgust at his attempts at being smooth. Whatever retort she might have come up with was interrupted when Teddie burst out into hysterical laughter, clutching his chest. "What!?" Yosuke's expression furrowed into a scowl as he snarled at Teddie, who didn't seem to be the least bit intimidating.

"Y-Yosuke-kun!" Teddie wheezed. His hand began to slap the desk, exaggerating his amusement at Yosuke's poor pick-up line. "That was _so bad!_ "

Rise saw Naoto roll his eyes. This time, the blue-haired boy didn't interrupt the conversation. He simply closed his eyes and leaned back in his seat. She couldn't blame him. Being stuck between the two all day must be exhausting. From his attitude when interacting with them, she realized that he likely knew them very well. She knew for sure that their constant bickering had tired her out, and it was only her first day at school! If she had to listen to the commotion all year, her brain would rot.

"...And like you're one to talk! All the lines you use sound like they're from fifty years ago." Yosuke finished retorting to Teddie with a small huff. The two looked at each other with venom in their eyes, and scowls on their faces. And suddenly, Rise couldn't stand it anymore! She had been enduring this all day!

"The two of you need to stop!" Her exasperated outburst took the two by surprise. Her voice raised and the pitch became higher, causing her anger towards them to become obvious. Immediately, silence fell between the two of them. A pout formed on Teddie's face, while Yosuke only seemed to become solemn. The two of them remained quiet as she continued to go on. "If the two of you argue like this all the time, then why do you even hang around each other?" They hadn't of given her the best first impression. Or second impression, or third. But at least they hadn't of tried to interrupt her while she scolded them. It wasn't like she wanted them to become best friends or anything, but if they learned to get along, it'd make her time at school much more bearable.

"We don't hang around each other all the time." Yosuke was quick to explain. He seemed to dislike being associated with Teddie in such a way. "He just plopped down without realizing I was here." It admittedly made sense, Rise realized. Teddie had been incredibly focused on _her,_ above all else. "And now, we're gonna be stuck like this all year round." Yosuke's voice was bitter as he finished speaking.

"Then learn to get along!" Rise exclaimed in aggravation. "I won't be able to stand listening to the two of you bicker all year!" She had endured an immense amount of torment and agony throughout the past couple of months. And now, Rise was fed up with being put in undesirable situations that she had no control over. "I don't care _how_ you do it! Just learn to co-exist, _please._ "

Before either could muster up a reply, another announcement came from over the loud speaker.

 _"Attention all students, there has been an incident close to school grounds. Please, vacate the area and get home as soon as possible. Do not bother the policemen stationed around the area."_

Never had Rise moved so fast. In a quick flurry of motion, she stood from her seat and threw her bag over her shoulder, marching from the room. She exited alongside the steady stream of students, ignoring the exhaustion that threatened to weigh her down. The further she got from the classroom, the more her anger faded. Soon enough, she felt dead on her feet. Her first day at school had been utterly exhausting. She had met _potential_ friends. But if Yosuke and Teddie didn't learn to get along, she would most certainly lose her mind. At least Naoto seemed grounded enough to _try_ and make the whole arrangement work. She continued to walk down the hall, weaving around slower students.

"Kujikawa-san!" She froze as Naoto's voice called out to her. Immediately, she turned around, a weak smile blooming on her features as she spotted Naoto hurrying to catch up with her. He quickly reached her, just barely out of breath. Relief flooded over her. Maybe she had found her first friend, after all. "I'm sorry about what happened back there. It's difficult to reign the two of them in." He explained, obviously feeling guilty. "They're not usually that terrible. I urge you to give them a second chance, when everything's mellowed out."

"It's fine, Shirogane-san." Rise shook her head, smile widening as she felt some of her pep kick back in. "If anything, I should probably apologize for snapping. I might have made the entire situation even worse."

"Oh, on the contrary. I think you might have shaken them enough to get them to listen." Naoto informed her politely with a small grin. Rise could tell that he was immensely pleased with what she had done. The pig-tailed girl suppressed a sigh of relief. It seemed like she had done the right thing by scolding them. But she was also glad that Naoto had followed her. He had made an effort to interact with her more than he had to. She could definitely see herself becoming good friends with him. He was rational and cool-headed, which was definitely what she needed right now. "They've become so accustomed to me scolding them that they've gained an immunity to it."

"I'm glad you think I helped." Rise stated, slowing down so Naoto could keep up. By now, they were close to the entrance of the school. She could see a thick layer of fog outside, and turned to Naoto with an inquisitive gaze. "I wonder what happened." She stated thoughtfully. She saw several groups of students began filing out of the school. Most of the teenagers seemed to be busily chattering. Maybe they were gossiping about what could have happened.

"Whatever did happen, it'd be wise to steer clear." Naoto told her. "It's very likely that the scene could be dangerous. I'll head out with you." Rise suppressed the urge to tease him. What a knight in shining armor! Naoto seemed to be an incredibly courteous individual. Rise was truthfully grateful that she had met him. With that in mind, she walked out of school with him, and began to tread through the courtyard. Despite the warnings that had been said over the loudspeaker, several clusters of students seemed to be remaining close by. Everyone seemed to be pretty animated and energetic. She could hear students hollering and gossiping with each other.

She turned her gaze towards the school gates as she heard police sirens wailing from a little bit away. As she exited the school gates alongside Naoto, she gave a soft sigh.

"True... I hope no one got hurt." Rise stated with a small frown. She didn't think that Inaba was the type of place where violent crimes happened. It had seemed like such a sleepy, quaint town. She disliked the idea of any sort of drama occurring. She had been going through enough stress as of late. The last thing she needed was to worry about criminals in the area.

Her eyes looked along the rows of houses, taking in the rustic architecture and pretty gardens that each home seemed to have on the side. Inaba wasn't too fancy, but it wasn't a bad place, either. She liked it here better than she liked the city. And she had only been here for a day! The loud noises, and the business of the city grew old really fast. Inaba was a welcome change of pace.

"Me too." Naoto agreed calmly. They continued to tread down the street, only for Naoto to pause as bright lights appeared up ahead. It looked like they were close to the crime scene, instead of avoiding it. "Although it looks like we're about to find out. They should've set up road blocks so students passing by would be re-directed." The blue-haired boy noted casually. But he continued to move forward without any hesitance. "We might as well go through it. It looks like we'll be able to."

"Are you sure we should be here?" Rise questioned fretfully, although her nervousness was mostly lost as she spotted a familiar figure up ahead. Her uncle Dojima stood with his hands stuffed in his pockets, a cigarette in his mouth. He seemed to be deep in discussion with another, uniformed man. As they reached the scene, the uniformed man walked away, ducking under the yellow police tape. "Dojima-san!" Rise called out to him. At the sound of her voice, he turned around, eyebrows raised. "Sorry. We're just passing through. Did someone get hurt?" She questioned.

"Hate to say it, but someone did." He answered with a harassed sigh. "Can't tell you too much now. Though you're bound to see it on the news later. I think you should go home. I'll see you later." He was gruff, but she could understand. His job was likely stressful enough without a large crime happening.

"I'll see you later, then!" Rise nodded, turning to Naoto. He had been quiet for the entire duration of the conversation. Eager to leave, Rise spoke quickly and began to walk further down the street. "Let's get going!"

"Yes, let's." Naoto agreed, following her as she hurried down the street, away from the wailing sirens and bright lights.

* * *

 _A murder._

Rise couldn't believe her bad luck. During her first day at school, a murder had happened. The body of an announcer had been discovered strung on a TV antenna. The conditions surrounding the body and crime were absolutely chilling. It had kept her awake late into the night. Just the thought of someone being killed while she was oblivious to it caused her to shiver. Today was only her second day of school, and she had to do her best to remain optimistic, despite everything horrible that had gone on yesterday. After getting home, nothing of note had really happened. She spoke with Nanako, helped make dinner, and watched the news report, before turning it off. She didn't want Nanako to become frightened.

Today was her second day of school, and she was fighting to keep her spirits high. To take her mind off of the tragedy that had occurred, she spoke to Nanako.

"Do you know how to make pancakes, Nanako?" Rise questioned curiously. She had watched her own parents make pancakes before, and it hadn't of seemed that difficult. Of course, the one time when she tried it, she managed to burn everything that she had made. Still, she figured that Nanako would be talented enough to cook various dishes, no matter how young she was. It did bother her to see Nanako so alone all the time. She knew that Dojima was busy working, but couldn't be spare a moment for his own daughter?

"No." Nanako shook her head with a slight frown. "Dad said that he'd show me. But he never really did. He's been busy working." Rise saw loneliness in Nanako's expression, and came to a resolution.

"Then, we'll learn together!" Rise exclaimed. "I mean, there are usually descriptions on the box, right? If we just get some pancake mix, I'm sure that we'll be able to figure it out." It seemed like an ideal way to bond with her little cousin. Nanako seemed to be a skilled cook, and Rise needed to improve on her own abilities. They could learn how to make pancakes and bond at the same time. Fortunately, Nanako seemed to like the idea, a smile brimming across her face.

"Yeah! Maybe we can get some at Junes!" The little girl cheered. Rise grinned, glad that Nanako was on board. Getting along with her was fortunately really easy. Nanako was a pleasant and patient girl, who was also quite intelligent. They continued to walk down the foggy street, before they reached fork in the road. "I'll see you later!"

"Wait!" Rise blurted out, causing Nanako to turn to her with an inquisitive expression. Rise remained silent for a brief moment. There had been a murder in town yesterday. Which meant a horrible criminal was walking around the streets of Inaba. Under such circumstances, Rise decided that she didn't want Nanako walking to school on her own. Dojima might be too busy with his work to take care of her, so Rise knew that she needed to step up. "I'll walk you there."

"Really?" Nanako's eyes went wide, before she smiled again. "Yay! Let's go!"

Rise nodded and hurried down the street with her little cousin. She knew that she would most likely be late. But making sure Nanako was safe would be worth it.

* * *

After walking Nanako to school, Rise had rushed to get to class. Fortunately, she had discovered an alleyway that cut through, allowing her to just make it into school. She hurried down the hall, up the stairs, and into class. She struggled to breath properly, but managed to stumble to her seat, flopping down into it.

"Rough morning?" A voice beside her inquired. Unlike yesterday, Yosuke seemed rather concerned with her well-being. Maybe what she had said had changed his mind about being rude. Rise turned to him, eyeing him with interest. He seemed hesitant to speak with her, as though she might yell at him again. Better to be feared than loved by him, she figured. Rise was still catching her breath and regaining her bearings, so she merely nodded.

"Had to bring my little cousin to school." She said slowly, in between panting breaths. "Her dad isn't usually there in the mornings. And I don't feel safe with her walking around town alone, especially after what happened yesterday." Yosuke nodded as she explained. From in front of her, she heard Teddie _swoon._

"Rise-chan is such a considerate girl!" He flirted shamelessly. "I'm serious! I've seen tons of parents send their kids to school alone. Don't they know that we could have a murderer still walking around out there?" Teddie seemed immensely troubled by the news. Already, today seemed to be going better than yesterday. Yosuke and Teddie weren't at each other's throats like they had been before, which was a great sign. A soft smile settled over Rise's features as Yosuke spoke up.

"It's true." The tawny-haired teen agreed, a frown twisting at his features. "But knowing our useless police force, they probably won't catch the asshole for awhile." He sighed, leaning back in his seat. "Oh, Rise-chan. I was going to ask-do you want to come to Junes with me after school?" Was he already asking for a date? Rise felt her eyebrows furrow. "I was going to ask Naoto-kun, too. Although he doesn't seem to be here, yet. Not that I'd mind spending time with you one-on-one..." He drawled.

"How rude, Yosuke!" Teddie huffed, glaring over at Yosuke with a pout. "You're inviting everyone but me!?" He was admittedly right. Yosuke inviting everyone but him was quite rude, Rise noted. But she didn't speak up or intervene. A part of her was interested in seeing how Yosuke would react. Would he start another fight? Or would he make an effort to get along with the blond?

At the prodding question, Yosuke leaned on his desk and began to rub at his temples. He looked as though he was about to argue. But a defeated expression settled over his features.

"Fine, you can come, too." He grumbled, before turning to the front of the classroom as their teacher walked in. Rise immediately smiled. It seemed that yesterday's events may have changed his mind. She was glad that he had avoided starting another quarrel. Despite his shortcomings, maybe Yosuke wasn't as bad as she originally thought he was. "I wonder where Naoto-kun is."

* * *

The school day seemed to fly by. Luckily, there hadn't of been another incident, which Rise was grateful for. After the end of the day, she had decided to head to Junes with Teddie and Yosuke. Even though she hadn't of been wild about the idea at first, she had decided to pick up a few things. They were almost out of apples. She would come back with Nanako for the pancake mix, since her cousin had seemed so excited about making a trip to Junes. It was lighter out than yesterday, but grey clouds still hung above, and fog still settled over the town. She arrived at Junes alongside Yosuke and Teddie.

"I can't believe that Naoto-kun blew us off!" Teddie complained, stretching his arms out above his head with a yawn. The three of them stepped into the food court, which wasn't all too crowded. Colorful banners were all around, and posters displaying details were pasted all over the brick walls of the area. Steel, circular tables with chairs were scattered all around. "Did he even give you a reason, Yosuke-kun?" He questioned, folding his arms with a displeased expression.

"No. I didn't ask because I didn't want to be nosy." The tawny-haired boy replied quickly. He seemed exasperated by Teddie's constantly energy. And Rise couldn't quite blame him. She didn't know how Teddie stayed so uppity all the time, either. "You had to go get some stuff, right?" He questioned, turning to Rise. Immediately, she nodded. "You might wanna go now, while Teddie and I grab some food."

"Good idea." Rise said simply, before turning on her heels and heading towards the sliding doors. "I'll meet the two of you back here!" She called out, before hurrying inside of the super store. Junes was admittedly quite an impressive establishment, inside and out. They had everything from food to electronics. It was like several stores all packed in one! Luckily, the food court was located near the grocery section, so Rise had an easy time locating what she needed. She hummed along to the music playing in the store as she searched for what she wanted. After walking down some isles full of food, she quickly found the bundle of apples that they needed. As she turned around, she was taken by surprise. Someone had been standing behind her the entire time!

"Woah!" The girl also stumbled backwards, before regaining her footing. She had long sandy-colored hair and freckled skin. "Sorry! I just noticed-are you the transfer student from Yasogami high?" Without waiting for a reply, the young woman continued to speak. "I'm Saki Konishi. I'm a third year there. And I work here." Her words were rushed, but not energetic. Rise quickly noticed that there was something dazed about Saki, something that wasn't quite right.

"It's nice to meet you!" Rise immediately rebounded. While she wasn't sure why a third year would be approaching her, she remained friendly. Saki returned her smile.

"Say, are you friends with Yosuke?" She questioned. It took Rise off guard once more. Was this girl involved with Yosuke? It took a moment, but Rise realized that Teddie _had_ mentioned someone named Saki yesterday. Was this the infamous Saki-chan she had heard of? "He's the manager's son, that's how I know him." Saki elaborated. "He can be real nosy sometimes, so if he annoys you, don't hesitate to tell him off." Rise was about to reply, when Saki beat her to it again. "Well, I have to get back to work! It was nice meeting you. I'll see you around!"

With that, the sandy-haired girl rushed off, leaving Rise confused and in the dust.

* * *

 **A/N:**

So, whose POV was it at the beginning?

Admittedly, not much went on in this chapter! Most of the bigger plot events will be coming in the next chapter.

Also, I'd like to promote **Tjfanfics99's** new Persona story, which I beta read for him! It's off to a really great start!

Here's the link:

https : s/12079208/1/Crossed-Paths

Just delete the two spaces in the front!

Thank ya'll for reading so much! If you liked this chapter, I'd love it if you posted a review!


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:**

 **This chapter is really late! Mostly because I've been busy with the school year starting up.**

 **Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed! The support always encourages me to keep writing! Reviews always make my day better. But thank you to anyone who reads, favs, follows, etc! Love ya'll!**

tjfanfics99: I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far! And your comment about Yosuke... isn't far off!

BlueAtom09974: I always intend for the changes to be surprising! As the story goes on, it'll separate from the original Persona 4 even more. I'm just setting everything up right now. And Yosuke _is_ the only party member that was available during the beginning of the story in the original Persona 4. I had thought about changing it to Kanji, but I'm quite biased towards Yosuke. Additionally, I apologize for the lack of Naoto in recent chapters! They'll be back, I promise!

roughstar333: Neither! I think this chapter will make the POV mystery of last chapter clear.

Dash master 48: You'll see!

EternalCombOver: I'll probably redo the Saki scene from last chapter. Saki Konishi was a character that could have had a lot of potential, had she stayed alive in the real game. Her issues in-game were very interesting and would make for a great character arc. I can't say if she'll live or die, but I hope to explore her character more in this story.

Heroi Oscure: Thanks so much!

b-wolf95: You'll find out who the suit donner is in the next chapter!

RandomRobot: LOVE the guesses! I think a lot of people have guessed correctly for Yu/Souji. So this chapter will probably make his arcana clearer. And as I said in response to EternalCombOver, the Saki scene will be redone!

N-Lorin: Glad you like the concept and story so far!

PhoneGuy: Rise/Naoto is certainly a possibility.

eneresy: Thanks so much for featuring my story in your community! To everyone unfamiliar with said community, it's called "Midnight Perspectives". Go check it out!

* * *

Raindrops battered against her bedroom's window, and thunder rumbled outside. Hop the rain would stop by tomorrow. Rise had never been a fan of bad weather, much preferring sunny skies and warm temperatures. She leaned back against the couch, legs curled underneath her sitting form. Her eyes remained fixed on her phone's screen, flicking and swiping through different apps. Nanako already went to bed after eating dinner, and there wasn't much else to do. The time was nearing midnight, with only a minute to spare. Teddie's rumor had better be worth the trouble.

Spending time at Junes with Teddie and Yosuke hadn't of been too awful. It allowed her to learn more about the two. Yosuke's father was the department store's manager. While Teddie worked at a boutique near the train station. They had chattered idly, about classmates and the upcoming year. It was Teddie who had brought up a recent rumor.

 _"If you stare into your TV at midnight, you'll see your soulmate's face!"_

Immediately, Yosuke had ridiculed him. Rise had made her skepticism known in a more subtle manner. But Teddie was an incredibly persistent individual. While she had a feeling that Yosuke wouldn't try it, Rise was going to keep her promise. Which was why she was stuck waiting until midnight. She barely noticed when the clock stuck twelve. Until the sharp noise of static filled her room. Slowly, Rise turned her eyes to the TV, which had been turned off. She narrowed her eyes, and could see what looked like a person... writhing in pain. She stood quietly, approaching the set to get a closer look.

Unfortunately, she had left one of her books on the floor. In a humiliating display of clumsiness, she tripped over it, letting out a loud yelp as she slammed headfirst into the TV set.

...Only to find herself staring into a plain, white void. It took her a brief moment to snap out of her daze and realize that her head had _entered the_ TV.

 _"What!?"_ She just about howled, throwing herself backwards. Only her head had gone through the screen, while her two hands had been on the wall. She stumbled back, tumbling over the discarded book, and falling onto the floor in a dazed heap. She gave a groan of pain. But a short moment later, she lifted her head to look at the TV with wide, dismayed eyes. _What... was that?_

She almost didn't want to believe it. But it was all unbelievably clear. She had gone headfirst into the TV screen. Disturbed and disoriented, Rise stumbled over to her futon, plopping down and grabbing the sheets, before curling up underneath them.

Strange classmates, a murder mystery, and now the ability to travel into TV screens... Could her life here get any weirder?

* * *

 _Tap, tap._

His pencil's eraser bounced up and down, as he tapped it on his desk. He had arrived at school much too early. Sleep had evaded him for the past couple of days. Ever since he had seen it, he had become restless and fidgety. Something was terribly wrong in Inaba. But he couldn't quite place it. It had only been two weeks ago that he had moved here, but everything around him was so chaotic already. Unlike the other transfer student-Rise Seta, he had remained quiet and out of the eye of the student body.

He heard the legs of the chair next to him scrape against the tiled floor, and turned his attention to the tawny haired boy who had sat down next to him. His slate grey eyes gazed at the boy numbly. _Hanamura Yosuke, right?_ He wondered inwardly.

"You transferred here like two weeks ago, right?" Everything about the young man seemed languid, but strangely confident. He seemed to drape himself over the chair, his bored gaze fixed on the window outside, as though nothing else in the room was of importance to him. _"Souji Kujikawa, right?"_

"...Yes." His voice was quiet, presence barely there. In all honesty, Souji was unsure of what this boy wanted from him. It wasn't like he had anything to offer. The grey-eyed boy looked down towards his hands, littered with bandages. A grin split across Yosuke's features.

"Great! It's nice to meet another city dweller. We have to stick together, y'know. I'm Yosuke Hanamura, pleased to make your acquaintance." There was something very flippant about the boy before him. His tone was sardonic, but he was incredibly relaxed. Souji envied that.

"There's another transfer student from the city. You sit next to her." The words flew from Souji's mouth before he could even think on them. Years of people leaving his life had destroyed his hope for maintaining regular, healthy relationships. He couldn't be this boy's friend. He couldn't be anyone's friend. Souji pretended to be disinterested. But he knew, deep inside, he wanted Yosuke to persist. The tawny haired boy scowled over at him.

"Pfft, don't remind me. She's nice and all, but she likes it here too much. Nothing ever happens." Yosuke rolled his eyes, rested his chin on his hand.

"There was a murder yesterday." Souji replied immediately, not taking his eyes away from his desk. The boy behind him gave an amused snort, and Souji glanced at him from the corner of his eye. A wry, amused smile had slid across Yosuke's expression.

"I know, I know. And there's that creepy Midnight Channel rumor going around, too." It was nice, to talk so casually with another person. Souji had heard many people gossip about Yosuke and his perverted, arrogant nature. But in this moment, it felt so impossibly easy to talk to him. Maybe it was because no one had approached Souji since his first day at school.

Before Souji could reply, the doors to the classroom opened. Rise Narukami and the blonde boy known Teddie sauntered in. The pig-tailed girl seemed miffed about what they were chattering about. Teddie seemed to be chuckling, a wide, impish grin stretched along his youthful features. At the sight of them, Yosuke rose from his seat, but turned to Souji with a look of intrigue.

"We might go out after school. If you wanna, you can come. Don't be a stranger, now." The tawny-haired boy leaned against the desk next to Souji's, that languid smile on his lips again. Quite suddenly, a warm feeling swelled in the grey-haired boy's chest. He hadn't of been invited anywhere in such a long time. He was caught by surprise-but it was Yosuke who once again brought him back to attention. "What're you two gossiping about?"

"Y-Yosuke!" Teddie wheezed with laughter. "You gotta hear Rise-chan's story! It's hilarious!" Said girl seemed to be fuming, her hands balled into fists at her side.

"It's true, I'm telling you!" Rise insisted. "I tried out your stupid rumor and-and I fell into the TV!" Souji raised his eyebrows, but didn't try and speak. He wasn't involved in this, but he couldn't help but notice how the outrageous statement didn't seem to catch Yosuke by surprise.

"Must've been one crazy dream." The tawny-haired boy replied coolly. "I mean, nothing compared to the dreams I have about you. But still." He teased. Souji almost rolled his eyes at the cheesy line, but instead watched as Rise huffed once more, before plopping down into her seat. Teddie eagerly plopped into his own. The blue-eyed boy remained quiet for a moment, before his wide, imploring eyes looked towards Souji.

"You're Souji-kun, right? Transferred here two weeks ago?" The blonde questioned, grinning widely once more. The grey-haired boy merely nodded, looking back down at his open notebook. Scribbles and drawingws of all kinds colored the lined pages. He held the pencil, beginning to draw a new shape. "Nice to meet you! It was hard to notice anyone else with Yosuke hogging up all the attention."

"What does that even mean!?" Yosuke spat, and Souji lifted his gaze once more, the ghost of a smile on his face. It seemed that the three of them were close to each other. And deep within, he knew that he desired a relationship like that.

"It's nice to meet you, Souji-kun." Rise's soft voice drew his attention in, and he cleared his throat, trying to smile at her.

"Nice to meet you, too." He spoke, voice a little raspy from lack of use. Teddie gaped over at him, his gaze moving back and forth between him and Rise.

"Rise-chan is so good at communicating with people! Like magic!" The blonde insisted, and Yosuke snorted in a demeaning way.

"Nah, you're just annoying." The tawny-haired boy insisted, a wicked grin on his features as he sauntered over to his own seat. Teddie pouted and stuck his tongue out at Yosuke, crossing his arms as though thoroughly offended.

For a few more moments, they stayed like that, just talking. It was the most Souji had used his voice in weeks. And when more students arrived, the moment seemed quieter, and further away.

* * *

"It's a shame that Souji-kun couldn't come today." Rise strolled down the isle, looking all around at the wide-screened TVs. "Naoto-kun, too. I wonder what he's been up to, lately? He was quiet at lunch today." Rise hadn't of been in Inaba for too long, but everything seemed to be falling into place. With the exception of the murders and falling-into-the-TV incident. Unfortunately, neither Teddie or Yosuke believed her story. And when she thought about it, she couldn't blame them. It sounded crazy.

"Naoto-kun's always got a stick up his ass. Probably has his nose buried in a book at the library." Yosuke reasoned crudely, hands shoved in his pockets. "Man, I hate this place."

"I thought you worked here, Yosuke?" Teddie questioned, eyebrows raised. Rise knew that she'd probably hate it if she worked here, too. She had worked at an office supply store back at home, and the customers had been insufferable. Some of her coworkers had been a hassle to deal with, too. Yosuke rolled his eyes at Teddie's question as they emerged from the isle, looking out at a line of TVs.

"So? I still hate it." The tawny-haired boy asserted. Rise smiled, almost replying, when an idea struck her. "Work isn't fun at all. And Saki-senpai is really the only person here who I can tolerate."

While both had not believed her when she told them she had fallen into the TV... could she prove it by showing them? The event that had only happened last night seemed so opaque and far away by now. But could she still enter a TV? Had it really been a dream after all? Yosuke and Teddie's bantering became only background noise, as she gazed up and down the area. The coast was clear. The pig-tailed girl sucked in a deep breath and strode forward, towards the largest TV around. Her hand pressed to the dark, flat surface of the screen.

"Hey, what're you-"

Her dainty hand pushed past the barrier, and entered the space behind it.

 _"What the hell!?"_ Yosuke's shriek caught her off guard. Before she could snap at him to quiet down, he continued to frantically speak. "W-What's the magician's secret?" He questioned, trying to keep his cool.

"Woah!" As opposed to Yosuke's frantic reaction, Teddie seemed awed by it. "How'd you do that!?" He questioned, peering around the screen, gasping when he didn't see her hand going through it.

"I-I don't know!" Suddenly, Rise regretted this course of action. Rushing footsteps could be heard a couple of isles down. It was likely that some of the employees had heard Yosuke's screeching. Before she could yank her hand out, Yosuke was hurrying towards her, Teddie on his heels. However, in a series of cumbersome motions, the two seemed to trip over their own feet, and each other. Her senses blurred, and suddenly, she was shoved entirely into the screen, her two friends behind her.

Air whooshed by her as she fell freely, the screams of both boys hardly registering. Panic caused her to seize up. A blinding light suddenly shown around them...

Before everything went blank entirely.

* * *

 **A/N:**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N :**

Thanks for all of the feedback, as usual! It keeps me motivated to write, despite how busy I am!

 **roughstar333:** Shit gets even more real in this chapter!

 **Metal Vile:** Thanks for pointing out the inconsistencies! I've fixed Chapter 2! And as for your guesses, you nailed two of them on the head. I'm not telling you which two, though! Thanks so much for the guesses. I always have fun reading them!

 **Dash master 48:** You do see some of Souji in this chapter. Don't worry, his family life will be touched on in later chapters.

 **N-Lorin:** Thanks for pointing that out! I'll probably comb through earlier chapters and fix all of those errors.

 **enersy:** Glad you liked the chapter! I wholeheartedly believed that Saki had a lot of potential that was unexplored. So I opted to feature a bit of her in this chapter.

 **Patch7-8-9:** Love pairings, so they'll definitely be included!

 **BlueAtom09974:** Hopefully you're not too irked about this update being a bit late. (More than a bit late.) Naoto/Rise is not yet confirmed, as my favorite Persona pairing is Naoto/Yosuke. A lot of pairings are undecided right now, but I'm going to see where the writing takes them. Souji's last name is Kujikawa, and Rise's last name is Seta. I messed that up in earlier chapters. As for the arcana, I can definitely say that Souji is not the Lovers.

 **RandomRobot:** Two of your guesses are absolutely right! I really want to say which one, but I'm holding back. Rise and Souji do have their last names swapped. Originally, I was going to change Souji's last name to a Persona 3 character's.

* * *

 _Bam!_

She landed on the ground, on her side. The pig-tailed girl gasped at the sudden pain, and she lay there for a brief moment, feeling the cool, tiled ground underneath her. Only when she heard one of the others get to their feet, did she sit up, wincing at the pain in her side. She would definitely feel that tomorrow morning... But that was the least of her concerns, now. The three of them seemed to be on a stage of some sort, but fog majorly obscured what she could see. Her breathing slowed and calmed as the pain somewhat eased. The towering stage lights above were definitely clear. Was something being filmed here? And where was 'here'?

"Damn... Where the hell are we?" Yosuke seemed breathless as he gazed around. Rise struggled to her feet, Teddie helping her up, heaving her off of the ground with surprising strength.

"Right as rain!" Teddie chirped, undisturbed by the scenery. "But, I'm not sure where we even are. Is this someplace in Inaba?" Unlikely. Rise doubted that there was anywhere as strange as this around. There were cartoonish, black-and-white outlines on the floor that resembled human figures. She could see cameras and spotlights up above if she squinted.

"I don't think so. It kinda looks like a stage or something." She looked all around, anxiously searching for an exit. There _was_ an exit, right? She didn't want to think about there not being one. "Should we look around for a way out?"

"Definitely. This place is giving me the creeps." Yosuke agreed, expression cautious as he looked around. "I can barely see it, but I think there are stairs over there." Without saying anything else, the tawny-haired boy began to walk away, leaving Rise and Teddie to hurry behind. As she followed him, she could see the metal stairs up ahead. However, they seemed to only lead to a second floor. "Stay behind me." Yosuke asserted, and Rise was momentarily touched as he took the lead. There was more than lewd jokes and arrogance to him.

The trio clambered up the steel stairs, reaching a second floor. Oddly enough, it seemed to be a balcony overlooking the stage that they had landed on. The fog was much too thick to see what was up ahead. There were several doors on the other side of the balcony. Teddie huffed impatiently and tried to open one.

"The doorknob won't even budge..." The blond said in a bewildered tone. "What kinda place is this!? The last time I was somewhere so shady, it was a love hotel!"

"While I'd love to hear about your sorry escapades, we need to save weird backstory for later." Yosuke huffed, continuing forward. Rise scrambled to follow him, biting her lip fretfully. There had to be a way out of here. As they journeyed forth, Rise stayed on her toes. There was no telling what could be hiding in the fog. Soon enough, an open door appeared at the end of the corridor. "Looks like there isn't a choice." Yosuke stated with a hassled sigh. "Stay near me, Rise-chan. I'll protect you."

"What about me?" Teddie inquired, before Rise had the chance to scold Yosuke. The tawny-haired boy rolled his eyes.

"You too. You probably couldn't box your way out of a paper bag." At that, Rise suppressed a giggle, reminding herself about the situation they were in. They moved forward, through the entrance, only to find a small room. There was a bed in one corner, with a TV on the wall. But what drew the most attention was the chair int he middle of the room, with a red noose tied to the ceiling, in front of it.

"Creepy." Rise commented, sucking in a deep breath. "What kind of place _is this_?"

"Definitely not a love hotel. Or at least, not my kind of love hotel." Yosuke replied, silver tongue not faltering. She looked to Yosuke, ready to scold him. However, his uneasiness was evident, made clear by the paleness of his complexion.

"G-Guys...?" Teddie questioned, voice uncharacteristically quiet. "You might wanna turn around." At the blond's words, Rise turned to stare at the other wall, only to find herself growing pale and more nauseous. Posters. Posters littered te walls. They depicted a familiar-looking figure, but the faces were all cut out, or covered by bright, crimson splatters. Whoever had been here, must have really hated the woman on the posters. The atmosphere within the room seemed heavy and oppressive. She had never been extremely interested in the paranormal, but the energy here was clearly negative. Something about this place wasn't quite right. Seeing as there was no visible exit, Rise immediately turned to her companions.

"We should get out of here." She advised immediately, and Yosuke nodded. He was clearly as eager as she was to leave. Without another word, the three of them scrambled from the room, desperate to leave. "Let's head back down the stairs." She suggested.

"There are probably other paths down there." Yosuke seconded her sentiment. Their footsteps were heavy against the metal floor. As time passed, Rise felt herself becoming more and more sluggish. The fog was everywhere, and it seeped in her lings, weighing her entire body and spirit down. "We really need to get out of here. This place is making my head weird." Yosuke muttered. They clambered down the stairs and back onto the stage where they had all landed, finally pausing and taking a break.

"This place is a real shit hole." Yosuke remarked sourly. Rise nodded in agreement. Never had she been somewhere like this before. The energy of this place seemed to be incredibly toxic. Teddie, who was uncharacteristically silent, seemed to be frozen in fear, staring at something behind them. "What's with that look, Ted?" The tawny-haired boy remarked, turning around to get a good look at what the blond was staring at. Rise followed suit, and found herself once again bewildered as a rounded figure approached them, features masked by the thick fog.

"What's that?" Rise questioned nervously. As the figure finally reached them, it seemed to be an... odd-looking bear? It was black-and-white, reminiscent of a panda, with black markings under the eyes. There was a black star in the middle of its chest.

"What the hell're you lookin' at?" It spoke in a deep, masculine voice, causing the trio to jump.

"It-It spoke!" Teddie exclaimed, clearly close to hysterics. Unfortunately, this only seemed to irk the mysterious figure even more. A scowl became clear on its features. With that, Rise noticed that it had a scar near one of its thick, black eyebrows?

"Of course I speak! What'dya take me for, some idiot?" The bear snarked, before shaking its head. "You must be the idiots, getting stuck down here." It remarked, clearly in a bad mood now. "It's your lucky day. I'll let you all out of here, but don't come back. If the shadows get pissed while you're here, you'll all be toast."

"Shadows?" Rise echoed questioningly, but the bear either ignored her, or didn't hear her. It snapped its... fingers? Suddenly, there was a large puff of smoke, and several large TVs appeared.

"What the hell?" Yosuke eyed the bear suspiciously. "What is this place? Who are you?" The bear only rolled his eyes at Yosuke's demanding tone, and snapped harshly at the trio.

"Go on, get outta here!" Teddie didn't seem to need any more incentive. The shaken young man rushed forward, throwing himself into one of the large TVs that had appeared.

"H-Hey!" Yosuke exclaimed, following his blond companion. "Don't leave us behind!" With that, the tawny-haired boy leaped through. Rise watched hesitantly, only hoping that this bear was genuine. What if the TVs lead them somewhere else? She looked back, casting one last look at the odd figure, before jumping through after her friends. There was a blinding light, and the sensation of falling.

And then, the noise of light music filled her ears. _Junes._ They were back from where they came from. Relief flooded her mind, and she opened her eyes, squinting against the bright, florescent lights. Luckily, Teddie and Yosuke made it through as well. The two were stood up, oddly silent. At the sight of her, they scrambled to help her, hauling her back to her feet.

"Let's... never do that again." Rise stated, and Teddie could only nod in agreement.

"I'm gonna head home, now." Even Yosuke seemed to be struggling. "Let's not talk about what happened until... later. Or never again." He added on, suddenly looking sickly. "I'll see you all tomorrow." With that, he walked off, leaving Rise and Teddie alone.

"He's probably right." Teddie nodded slowly. The light was returning to his bright, blue eyes. He was becoming less and less dazed. "I'll see you tomorrow, Rise-chan!" He darted down the isle, clearly enthusiastic to leave the department store. However, Rise stood there for a brief moment, her mind stalled. What had just occurred in the span of that hour? Maybe she didn't even want to know. Without looking back at the TV, she turned to leave the store.

* * *

 _"Why would you work with the enemy!? Is it some boy!? Please, just tell me!"_

Her father's words still echoed through her head.

Saki Konishi stood on the roof of Inaba high, weary gaze fixed on the grey skies above. So close to graduation, so close to freedom. The arrival of Junes had perhaps ruined her life, and all of her hopes for her life in Inaba. Was she a traitor for working at Junes? For getting paid more than she would have been at her family's liquor store? For treating _Hana-chan_ so nicely because he's the manager's son? A bitter smile curled at her chapped lips. She didn't even know who she was anymore.

Saki Konishi walked away from the roof and back into the school, where she had attended class for the past three years. She had wedged her family apart. She had been the cause of so much suffering. She had found Mayumi Yamano's body dangling from some television antennas, which only added to her own down spiral.

Down the stairs, through the halls, calling out greetings to friends and acquaintances, smiling. Happy. So happy.

She had been called down to the police station to be interviewed about her discovery. The thought made her want to vomit. But if it'd help them find out who murdered the poor woman, why not go? With her bag slung over her arm, Saki Konishi left Yasogami High, traveling through the gates, inhaling the sweet scent of the cherry blossoms.

 _More than anything, Saki Konishi wants to be free._

 _But it's a chance she'll never get._

* * *

Souji shouldn't be out so late at night. It was raining again, the heavy raindrops tumbling against his black umbrella. Fog swirled around him as he exited the restaurant, lifting his gaze towards the dark, dark skies. Tomorrow would be another day to drag himself through. Maybe something good would happen. Deep within him, he knew he would get there early again, just so he'd have the chance to talk to the unique trio he had interacted with yesterday. But he'd never admit it out loud.

He would light a cigarette, but his hand was busy holding his umbrella. Slowly, he turned to look down the street as the thundering of motorbikes became audible. It would be wise to go the other way and cut through the residential district. The grey-haired young man turned away from the commotion, heading back down the street. He closed his tired eyes for a brief moment, footsteps slowing just a little bit, until his shoulder bumped into another figure. His eyes flew open, immediately drawn to the young... man he had bumped into.

"My apologies." A blue-haired youth. Naoto Shirogane. Souji recalled seeing him sitting next to Rise Seta. Perhaps it'd be wise to introduce himself?

The thought of introducing himself was laughable. Souji hadn't made any new friends in years... Had he been so starved of interaction that even the thought of introducing himself made him feel weak and made his hands clammy?

"No problem." He spoke, voice raspy from not using it for so long. He cleared his throat. "My name's... Souji Kujikawa. I'm in class with you." The blue-haired boy blinked up at him, a look of recognition touching his features. Naoto gave a small smile, nodding up at him.

"It's nice to meet you, Kujikawa-san." Souji's ears turned just a bit pink, unused to the honorifics. "Naoto Shirogane, it's a pleasure." Naoto reached his hand out, and Souji gladly shook it, hoping the latter didn't mind how cold his hands were... "I would love to talk more, but I've just finished my shift at the hospital. I'll need to get home. I hope to see you in class tomorrow, Kujikawa-san."

Souji could only muster a shaky nod, giving a weak smile as Naoto passed by him. He watched as Naoto walked by, rounding a corner, disappearing from his line of sight completely.

He continued down the street, into the residential district. It was peaceful at night. With the recent murder, everyone seemed to be staying indoors after sundown. For some reason, Souji felt at home in the darkness, in the silence. Even with a murderer around. Why would anyone bother to end his insignificant life? Was he even worth the risk of getting caught? Worth the effort of hiding his body?

There was a brief moment where the clouds parted, and a sliver of moonlight touched the earth. For a reason unknown to him, Souji turned his gaze upwards, towards several television antennas above.

 _Then he sees her, dangling from the television antennas._

His pupils contracted. He couldn't breathe. He can't cry, he can't scream.

Death will follow him wherever he goes.


End file.
